Protectors
by Agent Frostbite
Summary: Soundwave's Minicons were never known as protectors. Then again, they'd never had anyone to guard.


Laserbeak and Nikki had been partners for 3 months before the inevitable horrible injury - this time due to a stray bullet to the chest while she wasn't wearing a bulletproof vest. Laserbeak heard from a few of the other Avengers, and even the attending doctor herself, Jemma Simmons, that Nikki normally had injuries like this twice a month.

Still, he was on edge. He nervously watched from off to the side as the doctors and nurses scrambled around her like ants. Coming and going, picking things up and putting them down, needles and stitches. He was only ever this nervous when one of his team - his old team, with Soundwave, Ravage, Frenzy, and Rumble - got hurt this bad.

He wished they were here. Then he wouldn't feel so alone.

And really, he shouldn't have felt that way. Jan and Hank stopped by all the time, keeping him company and making sure he was okay. Tony and Pepper came by every day, checking on both of them. Sam popped in and out, Wanda and Pietro stopped by occasionally, and there were no shortage of doctors and nurses passing through. But it wasn't the same.

He and Nikki had gotten close. All that was needed to spark a conversation was one measly comment, a joke or reference to another mission, and they could talk for hours. He missed her voice. It was irrational and ridiculous, but it happened with his old team, and this was no different.

So when he finally got the guts to, he perched at the head of the bed. On the bedpost behind her head, to the right. Watching and guarding over her diligently. He thought it was only fair, seeing as she protected him from everyone and everything that tried to attack him, regardless of who or how.

When she awoke for the first time, she saw him looking down at her, and she smiled. "I sincerely hope you've done something more productive than sitting there watching me sleep," she joked. Maybe a half joke. He couldn't tell.

"Nope," he proudly answered. She smiled even broader, as did he.

* * *

Yet another Strike Team mission gone horribly wrong. What else was new? Why, the cybercat recharging at the foot of the medical bed Nikki was in. The Avenger was still knocked out from the crash - she drove a car into a truck to stop said truck and its cargo from getting anywhere, and somehow this worked and didn't kill her - and had no idea he was even there. Not that she would've minded anyway.

The only problem was that the rest of the staff minded. Everyone except Jemma Simmons, the SHIELD CMO, and Leo Fitz, Jemma's partner and friend. That was because nobody but them were allowed to get anywhere near the girl. Why? Ravage wouldn't let them. Any time they got what Ravage deemed too close, he'd growl at them till they backed off. He would then curl up and go back to recharge as soon as they left.

Three months ago, if you told the proud Decepticon that he'd be protecting a mere human fighting for their enemies, he'd have laughed at you and then scratched you. Now with two weeks of captivity at MECH and somehow not-so-accidentally joining Nikki's team under his belt (as Stark had so eloquently put it), he decided she needed guarding.

Why? Because not a week ago, he learned all about her PTSD, her aversion to needles, doctors, and hospitals, and her scars, mental and physical.

Now anyone she didn't really know and trust wasn't allowed anywhere near her. The rest of the staff complained to Jemma, who chuckled and said she wasn't about to try to evict him ("It's a ticked off cat, what do you expect me to do?") and that they were welcome to try.

Nobody did.

So when Nikki woke up two days later, she saw Ravage recharging at the foot of the bed. He stirred and awoke, sleepily blinking at her. She smiled, though her lips were cracked and her face was sore. "Good boy, Ravage." He purred and went back to sleep, as did she.

* * *

Frenzy and Rumble didn't really know what to do when Nikki got seriously injured the first time on their watch. She was _Nikki Skylar._ She dodged bullets, made impossible escapes, and faced down the whole freakin' government if she didn't agree with them. But here she was, in a coma. Unresponsive.

It was actually a bit scary.

So they sat at the foot of her bed, making sure nobody hurt her. They couldn't think of anything else to do. They did try literally anything else. Training, pranks, fiercely defending her actions against everyone who questioned them. Nothing felt right. This didn't quite feel right either, but that was probably 'cause their unshakable leader was in the ICU, in a coma. Nothing would feel right as long as she was there.

It was maybe a day before Ravage slunk in. He was silent, almost eerily so, as he approached the medical bed. He jumped up on it, got his helm under her straight and relaxed right arm, and laid down. He didn't say anything, pretty much went into recharge within a breem, and that was that. He did stir anytime anyone got close to the bed, but other than that, he looked as dead to the world as Nikki was.

Laserbeak flew in last, after two days of meetings and whatnot (they guessed). He looked exhausted. He perched on the left side of the bedpost near her head. He, like Ravage, fell asleep within a breem of entering and perching. They guessed this had become normal for the other two. So they followed suit.

* * *

In all honesty, Jemma did kinda expect this to happen.

The four Minicons had taken spots on the medical bed Nikki was on. Laser perched on the left side of the bedpost, Ravage resting peacefully under Nikki's right arm, and the twins sleeping at the foot of the bed, leaning against each other. She knew this would become normal, standard procedure like the two protector Minicons had been before.

That wasn't the best part of the scene, though. The best part was that Nikki was awake.

And she was smiling as brightly as the sun.


End file.
